Monte Grappa: The Leg Snapper Lives Up to Its Name

We rode Monte Grappa so you dont have to. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say Monte Grappa rode us. You should really give this climb a go no matter your level. This climb is a beast, nicknamed the leg snapper for good reason, and it’s featured not once but twice in the 2024 Giro d’Italia. We only did it once, and that was more than enough.

Monte Grappa has been on our list for a while, It’s one of those climbs that gets into your head. Steep, relentless, historic, and full of switchbacks that seem to go on forever. We’d talked about it plenty of times, but now it was time to stop talking and ride.

We set off with a plan to ride smart, steady, and support each other if things got tough. We were lucky enough o have a support car that would be waiting at the top with our jackets and extra layers, which helped mentally. Still, the numbers don’t lie. 1,500 metres of climbing, gradients that rarely give you a break, and a summit that sits above 1,700 metres. The climb starts dragging early, and you feel every turn.

The higher we climbed, the colder it got. The gradient didn’t ease up, but the temperature sure did. By the time we reached the top, it was just 13°C. Our kit was soaked in sweat, and the chill hit hard. Getting to the summit was a mix of relief and survival. Briant arrived first, legs wrecked, pulled on a jacket and turned back down the road to check in on Eva.

She was still pushing. Focused, calm, and smiling in that way she does when she’s deep in the effort but still present. We’d both taken this climb at our own pace, and that’s what made it work. No pressure to stay together, just support and shared intention. Watching Eva climb those last few kilometres was something special. A few weeks earlier, she couldn’t even ride after her crash in the Czech Ultra. Seeing her grind her way to the top of Monte Grappa so soon after was emotional. She didn’t just finish the climb, she owned it.

We met at the summit, hugged, layered up, and took it all in for a moment before the descent. The air was thin, the views wide open. The road down looked smooth and fast, but also freezing. We didn’t hang around too long. That kind of cold cuts through everything, and we were ready to move.

The descent was wild. Fast, flowing, and quiet. The kind where you barely speak, because you’re just locked into the feeling of movement and relief. All that climbing, all those hours, undone in fifteen or twenty minutes. It always feels unfair, but also kind of perfect. You put in the work, and the reward is gravity doing the rest.

Monte Grappa tested us. Mentally and physically. It’s not just a climb. It’s a wall, a challenge, and a story. And now it’s ours. We wouldn’t rush to do it again, but we’re glad we did it. Together. At our pace. On our terms.

Thanks for the ride, Monte Grappa.

Never again. Probably...